PNF wants action against officials disrupting international event

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Netball Federation (PNF) has requested the federal government to initiate probe and punish those officials who did not move the summary carrying issuance of NOC request for foreign teams participating in the 2nd South Asian Netball Championship. The championship was slated to be held here at Pakistan Sports Complex from June 23 to June 26. However, the Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, which oversees the sports sector of the country, did not move the summary to Interior and Foreign Affairs Ministries on time for issuance of NOC for visiting teams. As a result, Pakistan had to lose rare opportunity to host the international event.Defending champions India, Sri Lanka and Maldives were all set to visit Pakistan, but NOC could not be issued for visiting players. “PNF tried to open the field of sports for the international competitions by of the organisation the event but negligence of some officers deprived Pakistan of this rare opportunity,” a spokesman for the PNF said.He said: “On April 21, the PNF sent a letter to Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) and following our request, the PSB wrote a letter to the Ministry of IPC but some persons, who were not happy to see international event in the country, created hurdles that resulted in cancellation of the event,” he said and added that the federation was in touch with the foreign teams and had been trying to host the postponed event in August. He said the IPC officers did not move the summary on time to Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Foreign Affairs. “They kept sitting on file for many weeks and moved it just few days before the commencement of the event the other day, the file reached at foreign office,” he regretted. He said the PNF had requested the foreign office to issue NOC as they were still in touch with the visiting teams and hopefully would organise the event after Eid.